According to Missing Children South Africa, it is imperative to raise awareness about missing children and how we as a community can combat this and work together to help ensure missing children are found and families are reunited. Wednesday was International Missing Children’s Day, and this day allows the community to raise awareness and funds towards finding those that are missing.

A total of 265 missing children were reported to the organisation Missing Children South Africa last year, 200 of whom were found. However, six percent of these children were found dead.

In the Western Cape alone, 175 children were reported missing to the organisation, of whom 92 were found.

According to the Cape Argus, Rose MacKinnon, national co-ordinator at Missing Children South Africa, said although the numbers were high, the organisation was managing well on limited resources. “Obviously we would like to reunite more families, but for what we are doing now it is really amazing,” she said.

It is so important to ensure that everyone knows about Missing Children South Africa, so that if a loved one does go missing, South Africans know who to contact for help. Time is of the essence and the more awareness that is raised, the quicker the organisation can help find your child.

Missing Children South Africa also provides counselling and support to parents and they are trained in the necessary trauma counselling.

Most children disappear for unknown reasons, but the main reason is that they run away. It is therefore so important as parents to talk to your children and help them with any of their struggles or concerns before they resort to running away which could be fatal.